For centuries the dog (canis
familiaris) and man (homo sapiens) have shared a unique
relationship, a relationship which spans the globe and
defies all attempts at satisfactory scientific and
archeological explanation. Clues to the puzzle are
unearthed from time to time and indicate an vague outline
to the dog's evolutionary past. Just as the exact
evolutionary process of the dog is shrouded in mystery,
so is the exact nature of the relationship between man
and dog in the early days of domestication. Though
the dog's primary role was probably untilitarian, strong
bonds of affection were quickly forged, as proven by a
fairly recent fossil find in Israel. Here, well-preserved
remains dating back 12,000 years reveal the skeleton of a
man with his hand resting protectively on the head of the
dog lying closely by his side.

Region of the Saluki's Origins

There are many theories on why man
and dog developed this symbiotic relationship but
whichever theory you choose to believe - the relationship
between man and his dog has produced a multitude of
canines suited to every person and purpose imaginable.
The Saluki holds the privlege of being one of the first
selectively bred and meticulously lineaged canines to
grace our presence.

It is estimated that the beginnings
of the saluki go back as early as 7,000 B.C. when
early man had spread out across the Fertile Crescent also
known as Mesopotamia. Man had observed and desired
to utilise the traits displayed by the native predators
and so began the domestication of the small, local Desert
Wolf (C.l. arabis) a lighter, faster variety of
wolf than its northern cousins. This
developing relationship enabled man to refine specific
inherent behavioural and hunting traits in the wolf
thereby producing, over time, a canid capable of
doing exactly what man needed. In the harsh climate
of the desert man needed a dog who was capable of
coursing (chasing) prey and catching it.

With this in mind they produced one of the
first domesticated, purebred dogs: The Saluki.Call him
Saluki, Persian Greyhound, or Gazellehound, the dog we
know of as the Saluki is nearly unchanged from those that
existed centuries ago!